Counties Agree Revamp To Men's And Women's White-Ball Structure

The England & Wales Cricket Board has today (12 August) confirmed alterations to the structure of Men’s and Women’s domestic white-ball competitions, effective from the 2026 season.

Following extensive consultation with the Professional County Cricket Clubs (PCCs), the agreements will see Men’s Vitality Blast group stage matches reduced to 12 “ down from 14 “ while Women’s Tier Two cricket will be affected across Vitality Blast and Metro Bank One Day Cup competitions.

The format for the Men’s Metro Bank One Day Cup will remain the same.

Vitality Blast (Men’s):

The Vitality Blast will revert to three groups of six counties for the first time since 2013. Four quarter-finals and Finals Day will then be played before The Hundred.

Each county will play the other counties in their group on a home-and-away basis “ a total of 10 matches. They will additionally play one home game against a county from outside their group and one away game against another county from outside their group, allowing all 18 counties to play against one another over time.

From 2026, Leicestershire will compete home and away against Derbyshire Falcons, Durham, Lancashire Lightning, Notts Outlaws and Yorkshire, as well as one-off matches against two other counties. 

Bears, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, and Worcestershire Rapids will move groups, having historically been part of the ‘North Group’ alongside the Foxes.

The top two teams in each group plus the best two third-placed teams will progress to the quarter-finals, with the winners progressing to Finals Day, as per the current format.

Vitality Blast (Women’s):

Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 will maintain eight group stage matches but move to a single group “ changing from a North and South format “ with each team to play each other once across four home and four away fixtures.

The move follows Yorkshire’s elevation from Tier 2 into Tier 1 from the 2026 season, meaning an even split of nine counties in each tier next summer.

The other alteration will see a three-team Finals Day - down from four “ a stage Leicestershire reached this year in their inaugural Blast campaign. The top-placed side in the group stage will automatically progress to the Final, with second and third place to face off in an Eliminator.

Group: Derbyshire Falcons, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire Foxes, Middlesex, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Sussex Sharks, Worcestershire Rapids.

Metro Bank One Day Cup (Women’s):

Metro Bank One Day Cup Women’s League 2 will be reduced from nine to eight group stage games with each county playing each other once across four home and four away matches.

The top four counties at the end of the group stage will progress to the knockout stages. The winners of the two semi-finals progress to the final.

Group: Derbyshire Falcons, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire Foxes, Middlesex, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Sussex Sharks, Worcestershire Rapids.